Cause of Abergele house fire deemed electrical

THE cause of a fire which left a nine-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl in hospital has been deemed electrical.

Five people, including two girls, a man in his 40s and two women in their 40s, were taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital as a precaution after a blaze ripped through a terrace house at Fforydd Y Morfa in Abergele on Wednesday.

North Wales Fire and Rescue service said they believe the cause of the fire was electrical and orginated in the bedroom of the property. Gas cylinders were stored in the bedroom.

The fire on Wednesday took firefighters more than two hours to put out. The Rescue Service recieved reports of a fire at 11.02am and the fire was put under control by 1.13pm.

Two crews from Colwyn Bay and Prestatyn, the Technical Rescue Unit from Wrexham and the Aerial Ladder platform from Rhyl was used to tackle the fire. An ambulance was also in attendance.

Witnesses claimed they saw an "explosion" at the property and others spoke of black smoke pouring from the house’s roof.

The fire left the roof of the property completely destroyed.

A North Wales Fire and Rescue service person said: "It was a terrace property. Hose reel jets and breathing apparatus were used to tackle the fire, which had spread into the roof space/ Properties either side of the house affected were evacuated and five casualties were transferred to hospital by ambulance for precautionary checks."

Tony Jones from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Electricity is often overlooked as a fire hazard, perhaps because there is no flame but just because there is no flame, doesn't mean there's no risk - never underestimate the risk of fire from electricity.

“In this incident, cylinders were stored in the bedroom - gas cylinders should be stored in safe areas away from the house, and kept away from heat sources.
"For the protection of you and your family, make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on each floor of your home and that it is tested regularly."